OUT-OF-CONTROL SUV Crashes into building

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The woman who drove her SUV through the front of a clothing store at the Austintown Plaza has been identified.

According to a police report, Heather Scott, 39, of Canfield was behind the wheel Tuesday night when she lost control of the Chevrolet Tahoe she was driving and crashed through the front of Dots clothing store on Mahoning Avenue.

Both Scott and her son, who was a passenger in the vehicle, were taken to the hospital and released a short time later.

Police believe Scott may have suffered a medical condition prior to the accident.

SUV crashes through Austintown store

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – It was a scary situation at an Austintown store Tuesday evening as a woman lost control of her SUV and crashed through a building at the Austintown Plaza.

“I just, at first I didn’t know what the noise was. I looked and I thought oh my gosh and I just ran,” Dots clothing store employee Stacey Ramsey said. “It just flipped over and thought I need to see if everybody is okay.”

Inside the badly mangled black SUV was a 39-year-old mom and her young son.

“I just heard a little boy crying and I just thought oh my gosh,” Ramsey said.

She said she did not think anyone was going to be alive.

Austintown police were the first to arrive, with firefighters and paramedics getting there right after.

Austintown Fire Chief Andrew Frost said the woman had to be cut out of the SUV because she was trapped inside.

Luckily, mom and son made it out with only minor injuries.

“They both walked away from the accident, so it’s kind of like a miracle,” Skowron said.

The crash drew quite a crowd of spectators, with some in awe and some in disbelief.

Witness Jennifer Melago said when she saw all the emergency vehicles, she expected to see a fire.

“Not this. This is surprising,” Melago said.

Frost said it was fortunate the store was empty at the time of the crash.

And now the cleanup will begin, not only for Dots, but also for Payless Shoe Source next door, which also sustained some damage. No damage estimate was available, but officials said it was “substantial.”

“It is pretty mangled there. Pretty crazy to think that was inside my store,” Ramsey said as the SUV was being pulled out.

The crash still is under investigation, but police said it is possible the woman suffered a medical condition that led to the accident. The woman has been released from the hospital.